First-time broody has rolled eggs out of the nest--why?

[LindaChek]

Need some advice, guys: we just came home from being away a few days and our Orpington hen, a first-time broody, appears to have rolled three of the ten eggs she was setting out of the nest and into her enclosed run, breaking one open in the process. Two of the three appear to have been viable chicks. Anyone else ever had this happen, and do you know why? I have NO way of seeing what is still underneath her, as she is VERY defensive of her nest. Any info is appreciated, thanks!

 

[Folly's place]

So sorry! Is she in her own private space, or with the flock? Alone but in view of the flock has worked best for me. She may have had a stressful event of some sort, or be a confused new mom. If she has good conditions, and does badly again, that might be who she is. Mary

 

[luvmypets]

I am sorry for your loss if you want to check under her wear a glove and grab one egg at a time.

 

[LindaChek]

Mary, our broody coop is a converted dog house (arch door cut in the back for people access) with its own completely enclosed 6-foot run attached. She is in full view of the flock when she comes out to eat and drink but also has food and water close to the nest inside, as I have been worried she has not come out much and it is very warm here. I do not know if there was an "event" of any kind, as we have been away for the fourth, but I have a call in to our animal caretaker to check, and the rest of the flock including four from our last hatch are present and accounted for. She may just be a nervous first-time mother, but these eggs were pushed all the way as far as the end of her run, which is where the broken one was--looked like she stepped on it. I am hoping she just was trying to sort out one that might not have been viable, but I'll have to wait and see how she does with the remaining ones . I will try to get a count tonight--maybe she'll be a little more mellow after dark! Thanks for the replies.

 

[luvmypets]

Np and i am hoping you get some beautiful chicks!

 

[Lelilamom]

Our buff did the same thing when she went broody. She kicked out eggs constantly until she had only about 9 or 10 left. She also stole eggs from the other nests and rolled them into her nest to sit on them. I did alot of research on this and found several articles that suggested that the mother knows if an egg is not only viable, but if the chick will be healthy, and will "kill" eggs that won't produce healthy chicks.

Our buff killed several chicks at birth and we could see that the chicks were not healthy, deformed, etc. It seems she was making her own decisions on natural selection I suppose.

 

[LindaChek]

Lost another egg today--this one was not viable and literally exploded under our poor broody hen. She took the shell out of the nest but I had to remove and clean the remaining four eggs as well as scrub out and change the bedding in the box. I used water slightly warmer than the eggs and tried not to scrub, but they had to be cleaned. We'll be lucky to get a single chick out of this one--poor Mama will have to get a bath tonight, and I'm certain one of us will end up ruffled and maybe bleeding, although she seemed to realize I was trying to help and did leave the nest while I cleaned the broody box with hot soapy water and changed the bedding. Any suggestions how to proceed--she has about 4 or 5 days until hatch, so I can't put more eggs underneath her at this point. I guess we'll just ride it out--for next time, how many eggs are OK to giver her per hatch?

 

[LindaChek]

Hey, just wanted to let you all know: I had given up on the hatch being viable and went outside on Tuesday evening to remove her remaining four eggs and give her a new batch to see if she would continue to set, when lo and behold, chicks! Three of them! All are doing well--thanks for the advice.

 

[luvmypets]

Hey, just wanted to let you all know: I had given up on the hatch being viable and went outside on Tuesday evening to remove her remaining four eggs and give her a new batch to see if she would continue to set, when lo and behold, chicks! Three of them! All are doing well--thanks for the advice.

Congrats you must be so happy! I had a gut feeling you would have a dew.. Pics plz